Ban Ki-moon Invites World Leaders to a Climate Summit in 2014

Ban Ki-moon Invites World Leaders to a Climate Summit in 2014

24 September – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon invited world leaders to a Climate Summit one year from now in his opening speech to the General Assembly today, and challenged them to bring bold pledges that will help set the world on a low-carbon path.

“Let us seize the 2015 challenge: a final push for the MDGs, new directions on energy and climate, and an inspiring new development framework.”

The Summit is aimed at catalyzing action by governments, business, finance, industry, and civil society in areas for new commitments and substantial, scalable and replicable contributions to the Summit that will help the world shift toward a low-carbon economy.

He called on the international community to “innovate, scale-up, cooperate and deliver concrete action that will close the emissions gap and put us on track for an ambitious legal agreement through the UNFCCC process.”

“Our planet and our scientists are sending a clear message, as we will see once again this week when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issues its latest assessment.”

He added, “There isopportunity amid this peril – a chance to change the way we do business, plan our cities, fuel our homes and factories, and move our goods and ourselves. A low-carbon path beckons – a path that can create jobs and improve public health while safeguarding the environment.”

The Summit will come one year before countries aim to conclude a global climate agreement in 2015 through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Although the 2014 Climate Summit is not part of the negotiating process, countries have recognized the value of the Summit, including by welcoming the Secretary-General’s efforts in a Decision of the Doha climate conference in 2012.

The Summit will include participation by business, finance, civil society and local leaders and will take place in September 2014 in New York.